Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
Select a thought to read by choosing a collection, the month, and then the day:
We want to be the kind of people who never hurt people on purpose. Lamentations says that God does not willingly afflict men, and from that, we know we should not be that way. Along the way, I see people, including children who reach their teen-age years without learning the value of kindness, belittling others with little thought of the consequences upon the other person's heart. I see adults, as well, attempting to hurt others when they are angry, disappointed, or just out of self-will. Certain Christians, as well as people of some other religions, are sometimes sarcastic and abusive to people because they believe those people are theologically wrong. I want everyone who meets in my house to know that to hurt others intentionally for doctrinal reasons is never the right thing to do. And there is never any justification for maliciousness of any sort. If the Devil himself came to my house, I would not treat him as rudely and cruelly as some people treat others when they become angry with them or just don't like them for some reason. The Devil himself would not treat people as badly as some people treat others. He is shrewder than that. He is always very polite.
God could be cold and hard-and be right in being that way if that is how He chose to be-but He refuses to be cold and cruel toward people. His love teaches us that being that way is always evil. Then, let's practice harmlessness and a non-retaliatory attitude whenever we are hurt or disappointed. The nature Jesus gives us can be described in this way: "Harmless as doves, bold as lions, and cunning as serpents." That is how Jesus told his followers to be. I remember when I first began to notice people who were like this, and I can remember being deeply impressed with their harmless attitude, their lack of any thought of retaliation for harm done. This is being like Jesus. This is good.
Paul added this: "Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." In other words, don't surrender to the pressure to use the weapons that the world offers you, the weapons of hatred and strife, a sharp tongue, ill will and harshness. Instead, be like Jesus and let God do your fighting for you. When a person with faith sees someone doing evil, or when he suffers abuse at the hands of another, he knows that what God will do to that person is punishment enough, and that knowledge prevents him from doing evil to another in his own defense.
Peter said, "If you do wrong and suffer for it, what reward have you? But if you do right and suffer for it, and take it patiently, this is worthy of praise from God." It is probably true that most of the cruelty and hatefulness that men show each other is what they would call "justifiable cruelty". Ahithophel's life was permanently marred by David's sin. He felt justified in overthrowing and attempting to kill the guilty king. Judas had been embarrassed by Jesus in front of the other disciples a few days before he betrayed him. Almost all people who become bitter and sarcastic have a complaint-sometimes legitimate-and feel that they have a right to be hateful. But in God's world, there is no right to be unrighteous.
What attitude will we choose when we have a complaint? Remember this. There is no condition in this life that justifies coldness and cruelty on our part. No one on earth has the power to treat us so badly that we are justified in returning cruelty in any form to him. No one is so wicked that we are justified to be like him. Vengeance is God's; leave it to Him.
By far, the most vicious and merciless cruelty on earth has always been the cruelty that springs from false religion. What boundary, what limit, can there be to cruelty when one believes that it is the will of God to be cruel? The relentless hatred and murder that is continually taking place in the Middle East is the result of false teachings about God. What peace can be desired with others when a man believes that God despises them? In that case, even in the face of countless tears and untold heartache, there will be no mercy shown. When a man believes that God despises another, he can show no mercy, lest he sin against God. On the contrary, we have all seen in news reports the open joy and celebration among many in that part of the world at the suffering and death of others. Such pictures have been broadcast around the world. There is no desire for peace in many hearts in that region because so many of the people are convinced that God hates them as they do. When men are persuaded by false doctrines to think that God approves of their cruelty, then they are inspired to be ever more cruel. They take pleasure in inflicting pain upon others, seeing it as proof of their own righteousness. Such conflict can never cease until wrong ideas about God are corrected. Avoid religious hatred at all costs. There is no end to it, no boundary, and no mercy.
Lastly, especially remember this warning from Solomon: If we are ever hateful toward someone who has done us no evil, if we ever return cruelty for someone else's kindness, we provoke God's wrath and may bring upon ourselves great trouble from God. We need to remember this because sometimes when God corrects us, He uses people. And it is easy to judge them at first as being evil instead of as messengers from God. How many of us, over the years, have responded in foolish haste to the chastening hand of our heavenly Father?
The way to be safe is to make it a practice to avoid harshness, even toward those who appear to be attempting to harm us. They may actually be ministering to us the grace of God for our good.